


wilting flowers in our home

by daddywhaler



Category: Dishonored (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Low Chaos (Dishonored), im still distraught over this stupid game, one year later i actually post this, you know who gon die if you really think long and hard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-07
Updated: 2016-07-07
Packaged: 2018-07-22 02:42:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7416448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daddywhaler/pseuds/daddywhaler
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>after his murder of the empress, the mystery of delilah has daud even more distraught; running absolutely ragged. naturally, his second in command, billie lurk, takes note of this. the concern she holds runs far deeper than the simple worry he's stressing over nothing. no, she believes he's finally weakened and unable to continue his position. so, billie takes things into her own hands.</p>
            </blockquote>





	wilting flowers in our home

It's been two months following the Outsider's last tip. Two highly uneventful months without a single implication from the name "Delilah." It's making the master assassin restless. Even more restless than he was before. Daud's nights more often than not, are spent at his desk rereading the various books he's collected from eliminated targets, restlessly searching for anything surrounding the name. It's almost like an obsession, or maybe even a distraction. A distraction from a heavier memory which comes with a name and a title.

It often failed as a distraction. The effort was more accurately classified as a next move. A move prior to the storm which was coming. His thoughts would drift from Delilah to what he'd done to the empress and her daughter; to what he had made the glorified bodyguard whiteness. He couldn't shake the thought. Daud doubts he ever will. 

Another night, and he is expressing his exhaustion within one of his journals instead of wasting his time within the many books littering his headquarters. He sighs deeply as he describes the last handful of jobs he's received since the day he'd murdered the empress and was gifted the name. Trivial and mundane, they all had been. If the coin hadn't of been decent, he wouldn't have completed the tasks. He continues to write in the tarnished yellow of the few lamps on his desk. A cigarette, half forgotten, burns in the ashtray to his right to further prove how important his excerpt was. He was finally getting into the mystery surrounding Delilah. Was it a person, a family name? A threat, an ally? The possibilities were endless. It was maddening.

As a crease deepens between his brow, he heard the delicate swish of a traversal. He makes no effort to look up from the scribbling pen, instead assuming which of his men or rather, which woman, had disturbed him.

"Going out for a stroll, Lurk?" He has to humor her uncanny presence, sure in himself that nobody else would bother to check in with him at this hour. Without valuable information, that is.

"Checking in on the old man, is more like it."

Her words earn a barely audible 'tch ' as he finishes off his entry. Billie stands with arms folded over her chest, unconcealed face adorning an expression both concerned and uncertain. A part of her is sure he doesn't need the concern, let alone deserve it, but the larger part deems it as necessary.

She's seen his prolonged reaction to assassinating the empress, and is positive it's weakened him. That is a matter which requires concern. Her uncertainty is tangled with the name Delilah. He's stressing, stressing endlessly to find a name she doesn't believe is worth the damn trouble. Even if the Outsider is "all knowing" and has spoke to her master for years now, she can't bring herself to fully invest. 

Daud casually shuts the book, at last remembering the presence of the withering cigarette. He flicks off the growing ash and brings it to his mouth, drawing out the first inhale. The next few moments are spent in utter silence. Plumes of smoke escape his thin lips as his lieutenant watches. Speaking remains absent in the room until the butt of the cigarette is discarded, and Billie takes her chance.

"You're going off on a wild goose chase after a name, boss. It's going no where. Are you sure —"

"The Outsider's chases don't end in no where. There is a reason behind Delilah, and I am going to find it."

The lieutenant is taken back by his interruption. Typically, Daud grants her access above the others, mainly due to her higher rank, to entirely speak her mind. Though, she supposes this matter had become so pressing to him, that even she wasn't allowed to question its importance.

"I wouldn't know, he's never visited me."

That provokes a brow to lift on the older man's face. His marked hand taps against the desk, words he isn't sure how to say locked behind his tongue. Instead, he has to silently question Billie's nonexistent relationship with the Outsider. He doesn't know if she's jealous or simply curious. Tonight isn't the night to decide which he feels she's more of. Daud lifts himself from the chair, rotating his head around in an effort to undo the knot settled in the middle. It's a hopeless effort. Like how Billie might see this search. 

"Go back to your quarters," He begins, turning his back to her as he shifts around the books and papers on his other desk, "Now isn't the time to discuss this."

"Then is there a proper time? That blasted name is going to drive all of us out of our minds."

"As if we weren't already?"

Billie pauses in hindsight to his words, slowly nodding her head in understanding. Dunwall wasn't a place to be if your mind was entirely intact. No, not now. He's taught her that much, not that he had to, anyway.

"Go, Billie."

She doesn't need to be told a third time. She transverses away, back towards her own quarters. Now, her concern for his weakness swells over the uncertainty. He's weakened and soon, won't be fit to be in his position. If he isn't already.

**Author's Note:**

> this first half is written exactly a year ago. changes may be added & updates are going to be random.


End file.
